Dalit turn fury to rename RMC; injure police, damage vehicles

Rajkot, May 21 (UNI) City police lobbed teargas shells to quell members of 'Dalit' community who went on the rampage in different parts of the city for renaming corporation office here.

The mob yesterday protested against BJP for not renaming Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) according to their demand. RMC had passed out a resolution to name new central zone office as late Chimanbhai Shukla. The protesters were demanding the new central zone office, adjacent to RMC main office be named as Dr Ambadkar Bhavan.

BJP sources said that RMC main office was already named as Dr Ambadkar Bhavan.

City Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha told UNI that five to seven teargas shells had to burst to disperse the mob who torched S T Bus and damaged atleast eight vehicles by pelting stones.

Police Inspector Digubhawala was injured when mob threw glass bottles. He was rushed to private hospital. Few more policemen also sustained minor injuries. The mob also burnt tyres lying on Bhavnagar road, the Commissioner said.

Police then controlled the situation. A team of State Reserve Police have been deployed and two more would be joining by the afternoon, he said and added that nearly 12 people have been apprehended.

Earlier, yesterday, they held a rally to protest against the naming of central zone office as late Chiminbhai Shukla. Late last night, the mob indulged in untoward incidents at Thorala, Bhavnagar Road, 80 Feet Road, Jila Garden Chowk, Kuvadva Road, Morbi Road Ganjivada, and Navyugpura.

Police have intensified patrolling in the city to avoid such incidents. Situation was under control till the last report came in.

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